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Canadian National Railway Members Overwhelmingly Ratify Contract

June 6, 2005

IBEW members working for Canadian National Railway Co. have overwhelmingly ratified a new agreement providing for improved wages and benefits. Seventy-five percent of the membership voted on the contract, and 75 percent of those voting cast their ballots in favor.

The four-year contract includes wage increases of three percent for each of the first three years and four percent for the final year. Each worker will receive a $1,000 signing bonus and another $1,500 pursuant to an outstanding issue from the prior contract. The increases are retroactive to January 2004.

The union achieved a major improvement in vacation pay. Workers who have accrued four weeks of vacation will receive bonuses equivalent to 8 percent of their gross salary from the preceding year. The benefit increases to 12 percent for workers who have accrued six weeks of vacation. The enhancement will increase vacation pay for over 93 percent of the workforce, who have worked significant overtime hours.

Luc Couture, International Representative for the First District, said that the only major dissatisfaction of members on the contract was "that it took so long." In the end, he says, it was the resolve of the workers to strike that sealed the vacation and bonus deals.